This monsoon it seems to be raining crores from the possession of Trinamool Congress leaders.
In a major development that could further hurt the TMC' s image the Central Bureau of Investigation probing cattle smuggling case on Wednesday froze Fixed Deposits worth Rs 17 crore "related to" arrested TMC strongman and party national executive member Anubrata Mondal and his relatives.
The recovery came hours after the CBI officials interrogated his chartered accountant, sources said adding the Fixed Deposits could be linked to cattle smuggling.
The exact Fixed Deposits amount frozen is Rs 16.96 crore sources said.
"These Fixed Deposits could be a part of the black money earned from cattle smuggling and legalised through various means... This also means that the good big part of the ill-gotten amount has been kept in hiding or converted into immovable property," a former TMC leader from Bolpur said adding it is difficult to imagine that a small time trader (fish seller) before TMC came to power could have made so much money legally.
The development comes days after Enforcement Directorate arrested former Bengal minister and TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee and recovered Rs 50 crore from his close associate Arpita Mukherjee.
The development also comes days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee openly stood by Mondal after his arrest and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for their vindictive approach.
Apart from cattle smuggling, Mondal's name has also bobbed up in other illegal trades like coal, sand and stone quarrying, sources said.
According to sources the CBI is likely to summon the relatives and close aides of Mondal in connection with the Wednesday's development.